Men's Team

Lescott: Stones has the X-Factor

BLUE ARMY: John Stones points to the travelling City fans

Joleon Lescott has been hugely impressed by the form of John Stones this season.

Lescott and Stones followed a similar path, staying at Goodison Park for three seasons and wearing the No.5 jersey.

They were both also centre-backs often asked to play left-back during their time with the Toffees before both had high-profile moves to City.

And the similarities don't end there.

The pair have each played for England, partnered Vincent Kompany and Lescott says Stones is a different type of defender to the City skipper.

“Stones can obviously defend but not everyone is a Vincent Kompany and there aren’t many defenders who will be as good as Vinny in one-on-ones, in the air and so on,” said former crowd favourite Lescott.

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“Vinny has his own style – I had a different style when I played alongside him, hence the reason we probably worked so well together.

“So, while John isn’t that style of defender, he can defend as well as most and then he has that little bit of something extra."

Lescott, who won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup during his five years with the Club, added: "John can do things most defenders can’t – a little feign here and there, maybe a turn to get out of trouble when he needs to – and that’s what is going to set him apart from others – the ability to do things others can’t.

“He’ll do his job and defend well, but there will be moments when he does something special and you’ll just go ‘ah, that’s why he’s regarded as the best.’

“He doesn’t seem to get fazed by anything and always seems calm and he never hides – he’s got everything and he’ll get to wherever he wants to get because we have to remember he’s still only 23.

“I’ve been really impressed by him, especially this season where he seems to be going from strength to strength.”

Men's Team

Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Arsenal last weekend opened up an eight-point gap at the top of the Premier League and extended our winning run to 17 matches - but now it’s time for the November international break.